I think one of the most important aspects of any career is the connections you make. Some of the colleagues I first met at A&O are my most trusted and still important to my career now. 

My role is all about collaboration: working in our General Banking team,  I assist lenders in meeting their investment mandates, specialising particularly in real estate finance and the funding of loans for property development and acquisitions. From margin lending to warehousing loans, our team takes on multi-jurisdictional projects across a variety of sectors, relying heavily on our global network to provide the expertise we need to get each deal over the line. And it’s this network that makes my work so interesting: clients come to us with some of the most challenging deals because they know that, as a firm, we have the collective knowledge to get results.

But we depend on each other for more than just legal expertise. My team recently completed a very challenging deal that took us five months of hard work. There were some tight deadlines and long hours when we had to support each other to stay on track. And even though it was hard, it’s those challenges that made closing the deal so rewarding and which motivate me for the next. 
 
Many of the relationships I’ve made here have lasted longer than each project or deal. Whether it’s my Vacation Scheme supervisor who still finds time to offer me career advice or the friends I made during the Training Contract who I meet up with even at the weekends, it’s the people that make this job so fulfilling. 

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Even though I enjoyed my Biochemistry degree, I knew that I didn’t want to pursue it after university. It was only when my laboratory supervisor suggested I look into a career in law that I considered it a real option. At first, I thought that the skills I’d learned from my STEM background might not be relevant to law, but I quickly realised that wasn’t the case. I’ve already seen the benefits that my analytical research skills can bring to clients.

During my Vacation Scheme, I worked on an urgent restructuring deal for a client in financial distress. The deadline was short and the workload was high, but that’s when my research skills came into play; despite the pressure, I was right in my comfort zone. I quickly completed the case law research and contract analysis, making sure that the client had exactly what they needed. Without a doubt, it was the skills from my STEM training that got me the results.

I was excited to see my skills applied to work outside of scientific research. That’s one of the reasons that I’m so excited to start my Training Contract: the variety. Across four different seats, I’ll get to try different practice areas and see where my skills are most well-suited.

I think lots of STEM students are simply unaware of the opportunities they have in the legal profession. As an ambassador for Aspiring Solicitors, an organisation that works to increase diversity in the legal profession, I’ve seen how valuable it is to support people from a non-law background through the application process. STEM students are an example of just one group of candidates who could bring so much to our firm. I’m so glad that I am part of a firm that values the unique skills that STEM students bring to the table.

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I’ve worked hard to get where I am today, and it feels satisfying to be given this much responsibility as a Trainee. I’m part of the team that provides hedging – financial protection – for some of our clients’ largest transactions. Whether it’s a refinancing project, an industrial development, or something entirely different, I conduct risk assessments and market analysis to deliver financial instruments like swaps or futures that reduce our clients’ exposure. Ambition and determination are rewarded here, and it’s so satisfying to be trusted on such important work even at such an early stage of my career.

But it wasn’t a simple route to get to this point. As a first-generation immigrant, I arrived in the UK from Poland at eight years old without knowing a word of English. As the first person in my family to do A-Levels or go to university, there wasn’t a clear path to a brighter future, and it took all my determination and resilience to get here. In sixth form, I started a study group outside school; my friends and I took our textbooks home and put in extra hours after class. After plenty of late nights and hard graft, I got the grades to study at LSE.

I had plenty of mentors who helped me transition from university into a legal career. As well as coaching from RARE Recruitment, I was also matched with a mentor from the Social Mobility Foundation who helped guide my career choices and gave me practical advice on applications and interviews. Now that I’m a Trainee, I want to give other people the same support that I received: I’m part of A&O’s Social Mobility Working Group and the Sutton Trust Alumni Leadership Board. And last month, everything came full-circle when I became a mentor myself. It’s a special feeling because I know first-hand the challenges of trying to build a better future, and it’s so satisfying to pass on advice that was given to me.

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In the restructuring team, we work with companies in financial distress and their key stakeholders – creditors, shareholders, insolvency office-holders and many more.  In a distressed scenario, the alternative to a successful restructuring is often an insolvent liquidation or administration, so the stakes are high for all involved.  In those circumstances, it's not enough to deliver excellent legal advice – our clients expect us to deliver real commercial results.

Very few firms share A&O's global capability to deliver the largest and most complex cross-border restructurings.  We have restructuring specialists in over 40 offices internationally and, in four and a half years at the firm, I have worked with many of them.  Almost all the work I do has a cross-border element and A&O's approach to delivering for our clients is built on a spirit of global co-operation.

I think people do their best work when they’re interested in what they’re doing. It inspires you to find out more about a topic – to challenge yourself and to take on more responsibility. I've always been interested in how businesses are financed and the challenges they face when things go wrong. As a market-leading finance practice with a world class restructuring team, A&O was the natural choice. 

My work is challenging, but that’s why I enjoy it. Every client is different and every transaction poses unique challenges – so the solutions we come up with need to be unique too. There aren’t any easy answers in the restructuring world and being continually challenged is what keeps me motivated.

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I wasn’t one of those people who always knew what they wanted to do. But when I started my Law degree and began to develop my legal skillset it became clear that a career in the legal profession was the right choice for me.

I like problem-solving and analytical thinking – and working in a team. These were the things I enjoyed when I was studying English at A-level and presenting arguments in my university’s mooting society. In fact, it’s these experiences that sparked my interest in a legal career. I’m looking forward to starting my Training Contract at A&O even more because I know that these skills are the ones that I’ll be using to help clients. I can’t wait to apply everything I’ve learnt to real-life deals.

Looking back at university, I’m glad that I embraced a diverse range of opportunities not only because they enhanced my learning experience, but they also helped me to develop a clearer understanding about the kind of work that would interest me. I knew that I wanted a career where I could make a real impact – I didn’t just want to pick something that would look good on my CV.

When I looked into commercial law and A&O specifically, I knew it was what I wanted to do. Working on complex deals in a fast-paced environment suited my skillset and taking on big cases for well-known clients matched my interests.

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I’ve always been ambitious, so it was important that I found a career with opportunities to challenge myself and progress – A&O’s reputation and culture made the firm seem like the ideal choice. Being state-educated, the first in my family to attend university and a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I was initially nervous about fitting into a top-tier law firm and whether I would be treated as ‘different’. Thankfully, my fears were unfounded.

At A&O, the focus isn’t on your background or where you started out, but rather your skills, technical ability and determination to learn. Even at this early stage in my career, I’m trusted with work that is important to some of our biggest high-profile deals. On a recent deal, I was responsible for collaborating with lawyers across our global network and working across numerous jurisdictions. The work I’m responsible for as a trainee is vital to the success of the transaction, and it is great to know that it directly adds value to our deal team and clients.

Aside from billable work, I spend time on one of my passions – increasing social mobility, diversity, and inclusion through an initiative I founded called ‘GROW Mentoring’.

The idea behind GROW is to pair aspiring lawyers with legal professionals from a similar background who can offer one-to-one guidance on pursuing a career in law. We’ve already connected over 600 pairs across the UK and USA, and we have a large wait-list of university students requesting a mentor. A&O has been incredibly supportive by offering time and expertise and has recently recognised GROW as a pro-bono client of the firm – definitely a first for Partners involved in supporting GROW.

Overall, I’m incredibly proud to work for a firm that values diverse thinking and actively promotes a culture of belonging and openness. These experiences have made me more aware of global issues and have provided me with further opportunities to collaborate across the business and with clients, which ultimately makes me a better lawyer.

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Deal-closing days are the best days, but there are plenty of smaller victories worth celebrating on the road to those moments. Working in Leveraged Finance means that I bridge the gap between two parties with conflicting interests, finding a compromise for the lender and the borrower to achieve a common goal i.e. to complete the financing for an acquisition. Whether I’m negotiating terms, arranging funds flow mechanics or reviewing agreements, my job is about collaborating with clients and leading all the different stakeholders to create deals that benefit everyone.

It’s so important to me that the work I do matters. Structuring market-leading deals for multinational clients means that my work has an impact beyond the boardroom. Recently, I was part of the team that helped keep an international aviation catering company afloat by securing lenders’ waiver on financial covenants and obtaining a multi-million cash injection from a government payroll support program, which enables our client to continue paying its staff throughout the disruption of the pandemic. The firm’s global network and our solid credentials made us the ideal choice because our resources allowed us to work across multiple jurisdictions seamlessly. That deal was about more than protecting the business: our contribution helped save thousands of jobs. That’s the kind of work I get to do here. 

But it’s not just about the deals. Being a part of this firm means that I’m part of an international network. Having been born in Toronto, growing up in Hong Kong and now living in London, I really appreciate having a diverse group of colleagues, learning about new cultures and working alongside people with different perspectives. That’s why we started the Society of East Asian Lawyers this year: it allows us to connect with people from similar backgrounds both inside & outside the firm, and ensure that our voices are represented via the Race & Ethnicity Network.

I’m proud to work here. The talent of my colleagues and the impact of my work give me a real sense of achievement.

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When I was looking into potential careers, I knew I wanted something that was going to be fulfilling, enjoyable and promising for the future. It was a long process: I considered journalism, medicine and several other careers, but it was my time on the A&O Vacation Scheme that made me decide to apply for a Training Contract.

My experience on the Vacation Scheme was unconventional, but it was exactly what I needed to help me decide my career path. I sat within the Corporate team, and at the time they were very busy with an urgent deal. Because of this, I ended up having four different supervisors over two weeks. This gave me the chance to get involved with different projects, meet people across a variety of areas and even spend time working alongside a Partner.

The best thing about it was getting a real sense of what it would be like to work here. I saw everything that goes into successful transactions, from researching legislation and drafting documents to proofreading contracts and handling administrative tasks. I knew about that before the Vacation Scheme, but seeing it first-hand helped me understand what it’s really like.

Choosing a career is about planning ahead. On the Vacation Scheme, I got to see how much A&O invest in the future, whether it’s developing software to optimize structured transactions, continuing their international expansion or diversifying their workforce. Having spent a year working for Rare Recruitment who partner with A&O, I’ve seen how the firm is striving to recruit top talent from all backgrounds by making their hiring process more inclusive.

I’m confident in my decision to join A&O – it’s an exciting first step towards a fulfilling career.

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As with any new seat, there is a great deal to learn for any trainee. Currently, I am sat in the firm’s funds and asset management team, where I work on a range of interesting and complex matters. In this role, I support our team with both fund establishment and growth, separately assisting institutional investors with their legal queries regarding fund participation whilst helping our clients navigate the legislative and regulatory landscape.

Having often worked directly with Partners and Senior Associates, I have benefited from the significant responsibility I’ve had on tasks such as drafting legal documentation and researching niche client queries. Although each seat comes with different challenges, the skills I’ve developed throughout my Training Contract helps to ensure my familiarity and confidence with my responsibilities.

The supportive and collaborative culture of the firm has been clear to me since my time on the Vacation Scheme. During the scheme, I wanted to find out more about a legal career at the firm, so I reached out to the Partner who had interviewed me.

What was meant to be a brief fifteen-minute conversation turned into a two-and-a-half-hour exchange where we talked about the firm, a career in law and the intricacies of his own work. The generosity he showed me with his time demonstrated that everybody across the firm, regardless of their seniority, is always willing to help if you exhibit an interest and simply ask questions. 

Being a history graduate, I was fortunate enough to try a variety of potential career paths. After experiencing banking, music and law, I found that my personal aspirations aligned best with the work and culture of the legal sector. The variety and engaging nature of the work ensures that I am able to continually develop, and it means that I genuinely look forward to coming to work every day. 

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One of the most satisfying aspects of my work is the contact I have with Partners and Associates across a wide variety of projects. Working with senior lawyers, whether it’s on private M&A deals, drafting sales contracts or researching the details of complex legislation, I get the opportunity to develop my skills and confidence, while using my legal knowledge to solve business problems and help deliver the results that matter to our clients. 

Looking back to the first time I walked through the office doors: it was my first day on the Vacation Scheme, and having grown up in India, this was my first ever time in the UK. The thought of spending two weeks here made me feel apprehensive, nervous and excited at the same time. My biggest worry was how I would fit in; I didn’t know whether people would treat me differently because I was an international student. But as soon as I met my team, I relaxed. Everyone was so friendly and helpful – they made a real effort to make sure I felt welcome. By the end of the scheme, I knew I wanted to stay here because I felt so at home – I was ecstatic when I heard that I’d been offered a Training Contract.

It’s so satisfying to see how far I’ve come. Before, I was worried that my background would hold me back, but now I know that a diverse perspective benefits our clients. I bring international experience, cross-cultural knowledge and a different thought-process that helps our team to deliver even better results. And if you’d have said that to the person nervously walking through those office doors for the first time, she wouldn’t have believed you.

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As a firm, we’re making real progress on diversity and inclusion. Of course, these policies are about respect and fair treatment – but it’s also about enabling people to do interesting, meaningful work. Whether it’s supporting our female colleagues, the LGBTQ+ community or ethnically and racially diverse colleagues – we’re creating new, firm-wide policies that give everyone at A&O the tools they need to perform and be their best. It is important to say that there is still room for improvement - but we’re continuing to take steps in the right direction.

A great example of this is the huge impact that our flexible working policies have had on my work-life balance. Working on numerous M&A deals in emerging markets means that we help high-growth clients succeed in rapidly developing economies. When I’m advising international clients based in various jurisdictions and collaborating with our global network, I’m often working across time zones – which is why our flexible working policies are so important to me.. It means that I can find the time to care for my children while doing the work that interests me. It’s such a relief knowing that if I have to leave at five o’clock to pick up my children, this won’t present any issues.

Racial and ethnic inclusion and diversity is a top priority at A&O. We’re actively taking steps to counteract the structural disadvantages that those from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds experience, and our Race & Ethnicity Network plays a vital part in raising awareness and implementing global policy changes. Our Executive Committee recently implemented new global targets for BAME hires, promotions and retention, helping our BAME colleagues to feel more confident in building successful careers with us.

The great thing is that I can see that there is an appetite for change. I’m delighted to see our firm is listening to our underrepresented colleagues and putting policies in place to help them succeed. Although we’re not there yet, we’re working hard to create a truly inclusive culture. It’s inspiring to be part of a firm that empowers me to be fearless in speaking up.

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The best part of my job is when I can see that my work has made a real impact on people’s lives. I’m part of the Global Projects, Energy and Infrastructure group, and a lot of our work is in emerging markets. We usually work with borrowers who are applying for funding from financial institutions or credit agencies, and we help them by drafting loan agreements and security contracts. Structuring these arrangements is an intensive process, and our team due diligence and insurance verification are crucial to the success of these deals.

Working in emerging markets means that these projects often bring new jobs to developing economies and improve the local infrastructure. Recently, we completed an assignment for a client in West Africa to finance the construction of a new mine. Worth over a billion dollars and taking over a year to complete, this project created 1000 local jobs and stimulated the economy at a national level. Since my family has roots in Ghana, this project meant a lot to me, and knowing that it had such a positive impact made the long nights and short deadlines worth it.

I also strive for positive change outside of my client work. As part of our firm’s Smart Start work experience program, I mentor students from non-privileged backgrounds and provide high-quality work experience placements. Increasing accessibility to top graduate jobs is a form of economic empowerment, and I’m proud to be a part of the firm’s efforts.

It’s important to acknowledge that our firm is part of an industry that needs to do better. There’s plenty of work to be done to make the UK’s legal sector more inclusive, and each firm has a responsibility to do their part. It’s encouraging to see our firm make improvements in areas like BAME graduate recruitment, but later-career BAME retention continues to be an issue. These are long-standing, systemic issues that need urgent attention, but I’m pleased to belong to a firm that is aware of the problems and is actively trying to address them.

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Growing up, I didn’t have any exposure to the legal profession. None of my family were lawyers and I was the first person in my family to go to university, it had never occurred to me as a possibility. When I considered it as a career path, I was worried that my background and lack of legal knowledge might hold me back. Now I’m a trainee in Banking, I can safely say that isn’t the case; the firm is looking for people with the ability and personality to succeed, rather than pre-existing legal knowledge or exposure to the industry.

That hit home when I closed my first deal. I was part of the team working with a multinational client on a high-profile new money restructuring project. The client wanted a solution to a complex problem within a short deadline. New regulations specific to the pandemic meant that I was researching previously unseen legislation – even the Partner hadn’t encountered it before.

When I heard the project was a success, I couldn’t stop smiling. After having limited legal experience, here I was, four years later, working alongside Partners to bring a high-profile assignment over the line.

It was so important that I got to see what kind of work I would be doing before I joined. I got that chance on A&O First – a programme where first-year students can find out more about the firm – where I had the opportunity to do some work on an actual deal and spend time shadowing a trainee. He was about my age, and he took the time to talk to me about the firm, the kind of work he did and the application process. As well as motivating me to learn more about commercial law, he also inspired me to apply for a Training Contract.

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I’ve always been drawn to technical subjects. After studying science and maths at A-Level, it seemed like the natural choice to go on to study my passion, physics, at university. I loved studying physics but, somewhere along the way, I realised that I just didn’t enjoy the research side – I missed the variety of my studies and I wanted to work with people. So, to find a career that excited me, I started going to campus events and talking to professionals from a range of sectors.

I’m so glad that I met lawyers from A&O. They spoke to me about commercial law and the complex problems that clients asked them to solve. As a current trainee, I’m part of a close-knit team working on highly technical deals where I’ve been intellectually stretched. When negotiating hotly contested details like financial ratios and other covenants, there needs to be an analytical approach to understanding the underlying commercial motivations.

Getting these details right is something that clients really appreciate; drafting these documents matters a lot because they establish the terms that affect a client’s business for years.

Ultimately, our clients’ problems require creative solutions. Every business operates in a different landscape – every problem is unique, and every solution is important. And that’s exactly what I wanted for my career: challenging work that pushes me to think differently.

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There is a real entrepreneurial spirit at A&O – our culture encourages people to seek out opportunities and capitalise on them. In the Litigation & Investigations team, we deal with disputes, covering a wide range of topics, from commercial court claims to regulatory investigations. Put simply, I help clients get the best outcome when things are going wrong. Working in this environment requires careful analysis, attention to detail, commercial acumen, and a calm demeanour. 

I think that A&O’s unique selling point is that it’s a platform: for career growth, personal development and education. Outside of my Litigation & Investigations work, I joined A&Out – the firm’s LGBTQ+ committee – and I saw an opportunity. I was heavily involved in the committee’s re-launch and I organised an event to increase awareness of our work.

The firm completely backed the project: they funded the entire event and invited hundreds of clients to celebrate our LGBTQ+ colleagues. The response to that event showed me that I can bring new ideas to work, do things I am really passionate about and be my authentic self.

The resources that we’ve got here – our global network, range of practice areas and high-calibre clients – give you everything you need to be the driver of your own career. You’ll have all the tools to take your career in whatever direction you want. And whether you’re a senior associate or a trainee, if you keep an open mind and take every opportunity then the possibilities are endless.

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